Sa y, Me an, Ma tter - · PDF fileNew Say, Mean, Matter Author: Shelia Sutton Created Date:...
Transcript of Sa y, Me an, Ma tter - · PDF fileNew Say, Mean, Matter Author: Shelia Sutton Created Date:...
Say, Mean, Matter
Shelia D. Sutton, MA, NBCT
Say, Mean, Matter
Say, Mean, Matter is the name for a strategy that helps students
question the text
search for deeper meanings
make connections between the text and their lives
Say, Mean, Matter is effective for all student levels from language learners to honors and AP students.
It can be used with
academic texts
fiction
verbal and non-verbal material
Three column chart
overhead transparency
chart paper
chalkboard
student’s own paper
Say, Mean, Matter
SAYThis is a summary of what the texts says. What does the text say?
What happened?Cite text (quotation) or paraphrase.
MEANThis is about interpretation.
Ask questions like, “What makes you think that?”
“How do you know that?”
MATTERWhat are the implications? (Possible outcomes or results?)Why does it matter to me or others?Why is it important? (to the story as a whole?)What is the significance?
Example ofSAY, MEAN, MATTER
SAY
Mom comes
home and says,
“No TV
tonight!”
MEAN• I can’t watch TV.
• Mom’s angry from
work.
• You did something
wrong and got
caught.
• Your grades came
in the mail.
• She’s mad at Dad.
• She wants to watch
something!
• We’re going out!
MATTER• I’ll be bored.• I’ll miss my favorite show.• We’ll have to walk on “eggshells.”• I’ll get grounded.• There will be fighting and yelling between mom and dad.• I’ll have to listen to music.• We’re having family night.
The third column is the most abstract and may prove to be difficult at first, especially with less sophisticated students.
So what?
What is the theme or message of the piece?
How does this piece connect to your own life?
What does it matter to you?
What questions does this piece raise?
What implications does it hold for a given group of people or for people in general?
Next step
The class generates a paragraph to explain or analyze the piece.
Use the ideas recorded on the chart to create the paragraph.
Start with statement from the “MATTER” column as a topic or
thesis statement.
Draw on the “SAY” and “MEAN” columns for supporting
details.
The first column provides the “text proof ” (what the text says).
The second column provides the student interpretation (what
the text means).
The teacher should model initial steps of the writing; then
students can complete it on their own, or with a partner.
When SAY, MEAN, MATTER is applied to a longer text (a chapter book, a story, or even a novel) the columns can be used to help students structure an essay, using the same process as when writing a paragraph.
Another writing approach is to chunk ideas according to a number of MEAN ideas and to support these with SAY items.
The introduction and/or conclusion may come from a MATTER idea.
The writer can start anywhere and build a coherent analysis of the text.
Variations
Use a piece of artwork to demonstrate the strategy.
Use a “Quote of the Day” and have students quickly practice the strategy with you or with a partner.
For novels, students can keep a SAY-MEAN-MATTER journal/notebook for each chapter.
When students complete their reading of the novel, they will have information to draw on for any final writing project.
This strategy also can be used orally once students are familiar with it. The teacher can stop in the middle of a class reading and quickly do an oral run through of the three columns, asking,
“What is this saying?”
“What does it mean?”
“Why does it matter?”
This encourages higher level thinking during reading and is especially useful when text is complex.
Literary Analysis
Claim
This can be taken from the MATTER column.
Evidence
This can be taken from the SAY column.
Elaboration
This can be taken from the MEAN column.
Practice
Cartoon
Analyze the cartoon
Write a short paragraph